exhibition of Shige Fujishiro
curator: Mika Drozdowska
12.10–12.11.2016
SiC! BWA Wrocław Gallery, Poland
Shige’s seductive objects relate to the symbolism of the Garden of Eden. Although we are aware that we had been expelled from it, we are constantly trying to trace the promise of paradise in various small pleasures offered by the material world.
Shige’s sculptures are mainly focused on independent materiality, even though they imitate nature and everyday objects. Millions of glass beads, a lot of wire and safety pins arouse admiration and anxiety at the same time. The works that contain dissected animals become a tale of an idyllic land of promise, our notions of Eden, but also at the same time a brutal collision with reality. Is that what surrounds us sufficient? Where is my paradise? is an exhibition asking questions at various levels, for instance: what kind of reality are we experiencing here? Is this a paradise? A crime scene? A museum or a zoo?
Shige creates his objects with shiny glass beads, which are known for being one of the oldest jewelry items and precious ancient commodities. Lush floral and animal motives as well as regular shopping bags consisting of a million shining beads seduce us with their artistry and craftsmanship. Due to his laborious work, the artist creates a new artificial reality in an already set and ready world. By using biblical themes relating to the Garden of Eden, the land symbolizing happiness and eternal attempts to find happiness, Fujishiro builds another myth and adds successive layers of narrative.
What does paradise mean in the face of individualized human postmodern worlds? What is the role of the artist who creates new artificial worlds and forms? In Japanese, paradise literally means the highest happiness. This is the first step to the pure land, where the loop of rebirth gets broken. Neither natural nor creationism art would have any meaning there. The ethos of paradise as an idea is nice, but to get there, a man must fulfill one condition. To quote a song by Nina Hagen: Everyone wants to heaven, but nobody wants to die.
graphic design: Hubert Kielan
producer: Tomasz Cugier
Still Life is the accompanying exhibition of Play with Glass – European Glass Festival.
